[TiminyCricket]

Glad to hear that Pentax seems to be getting it's "auto-focus act" together. I only own a K10D thus far and yesterday I ventured out with an urban exploration group up into an abandoned high-rise factory. I had my DA* 16-50 mounted on it as it was quite dark in places while inside. While shooting out through some of the glass-less window panes out toward the city of Philadelphia (with PLENTY of available light outside the window) my K10D and DA* 16-50 STILL couldn't lock focus on some of the shots while in AF-S and center-focus modes! COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. I was not shooting in a dark room without a flash... I was shooting out a window into bright light and a vast city-scape with lots of available light and the camera just couldn't lock center focus. My focus point was one of the clearly visible tall buildings. I've frequently noticed such POOR auto-focusing to be the case with the K10D and in many cases I end up having to switch it to manual focus in order to get the shutter to trip. I guess I will have to go back into the menu and see if I can set it back to releasing the shutter whether the focus has been achieved, or not (but weirdly-enough, the focus seems pretty good, it's just that the camera doesn't know it).

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Last edited by TiminyCricket; 10-24-2010 at 01:16 PM.

[ybo1]

This is not normal at all since you are shooting out a window. Were you shooting at 16mm wide and trying to focus at infinity? It might be a matter of Back focusing on your K10D. Mine wouldn't trogger the shutter at 16 ( with the DA 16-45) until I recalibrated the body.

[bwDraco]

It seems quite a few people have waited for a new and improved AF system... The SAFOX VIII system is 7 years (!) old; it was used since the *istD. If you don't believe me, look at the Wikipedia article on Pentax cameras.

I have seen many complaints that the SAFOX VIII system performs poorly in sports or low-light conditions. Now that SAFOX IX is here, the wait for better AF is over.

--DragonLord

[tigerzen]

I can't really comment too much on AF-C as I never really used it with the K7, nor would I really know how to quantify any potential improvement on the K5.

However, I was definitely able to see an increase in locking speed between the K5 and K7 using both a screw-driven lens (FA31) and a SDM lens (DA*60-250). In both cases, the K5 locks more quickly and with fewer "micro-corrections" at the end. I wouldn't necessarily say the screw drive feels faster, just more "confident", if that makes sense.

And here's some gratuitous camera/lens porn as I happen to have a pair of DA*60-250 lenses at the moment; it made comparing the two bodies that much easier

This is better than Harry Potter's New Movie.

[Jonson PL]

I can't really comment too much on AF-C as I never really used it with the K7, nor would I really know how to quantify any potential improvement on the K5.

However, I was definitely able to see an increase in locking speed between the K5 and K7 using both a screw-driven lens (FA31) and a SDM lens (DA*60-250). In both cases, the K5 locks more quickly and with fewer "micro-corrections" at the end. I wouldn't necessarily say the screw drive feels faster, just more "confident", if that makes sense.

And here's some gratuitous camera/lens porn as I happen to have a pair of DA*60-250 lenses at the moment; it made comparing the two bodies that much easier

That is a sweet looking setup.


And thanks to Lee for providing a lot of K5 info, to the rest of the community

[Cannikin]

I just did an impromptu, real life test of the K-5 AF. I was busy shooting some scenes around campus, when a random guy doing tricks on his bike asked me to shoot him.

Well, this was half an hour after sunset in a rapidly darkening square, so I had my doubts about how well this was going to work. It was dark enough that even at ISO 6400 and aperture wide open (f/4, this was with the 55-300), shutter priority wouldn't let me go faster than 1/40.

Well, as expected, most of the pictures were a loss due to motion blur. 1/40 is just way too slow for a target moving at 7-8 mph right past me. But surprisingly even in the darkness, AF kept focus dead on all the way, even with me zooming while shooting. From the couple of sharp photos, and a bit of examining the blurred ones, I can tell that most of them are more or less right on in focus.

I'm a noob when it comes to motion tracking and action shooting, but this was definitely a pleasant surprise. I've lost more than a couple photos on my K-x due to it deciding to hunt at the worst times.

[imtheguy]

It was dark enough that even at ISO 6400 and aperture wide open (f/4, this was with the 55-300), shutter priority wouldn't let me go faster than 1/40.

Next time that situation pops up, crank the iso to get the minimum speed you need. With a little NR you will be happy all over again with the results. You must have noticed all the high iso shots posted. Enjoy!

[Cannikin]

Next time that situation pops up, crank the iso to get the minimum speed you need. With a little NR you will be happy all over again with the results. You must have noticed all the high iso shots posted. Enjoy!

Heh, yeah, this was pretty much my first "real" action shoot, so I definitely learned a lot here. Thanks for the tip, I'll keep that in mind!

I'm primarily a landscape shooter, so I go easy on the ISO. I set the auto range on my K-5 up to 3200, and 1600 on my K-x, so 6400 was already "cranking" it in my mind at the time. I usually trust my ability to keep my hands steady more than I trust my NR skills. Of course, rock steady hands don't do you any good if your subject is moving, as I learned first hand today.

[eminer1254]

I honestly don't care about AF, I don't use it. But, I'd love to know if Pentax has finally gotten it's issues with noise in high IO fixed yet.

[deadwolfbones]

I honestly don't care about AF, I don't use it. But, I'd love to know if Pentax has finally gotten it's issues with noise in high IO fixed yet.

You really need to read some more of the K-5 threads...

[Rite]

I just did an impromptu, real life test of the K-5 AF. I was busy shooting some scenes around campus, when a random guy doing tricks on his bike asked me to shoot him.

Well, this was half an hour after sunset in a rapidly darkening square, so I had my doubts about how well this was going to work. It was dark enough that even at ISO 6400 and aperture wide open (f/4, this was with the 55-300), shutter priority wouldn't let me go faster than 1/40.

Well, as expected, most of the pictures were a loss due to motion blur. 1/40 is just way too slow for a target moving at 7-8 mph right past me. But surprisingly even in the darkness, AF kept focus dead on all the way, even with me zooming while shooting. From the couple of sharp photos, and a bit of examining the blurred ones, I can tell that most of them are more or less right on in focus.

I'm a noob when it comes to motion tracking and action shooting, but this was definitely a pleasant surprise. I've lost more than a couple photos on my K-x due to it deciding to hunt at the worst times.

=================================

Thanks for the feedback. Do you have any buyer's remorse?

[johnmflores]

Pentax was conveniently located next to Sony, who had built a half pipe in the middle of Jacob Javits Center to show off the abilities of their own cameras. Pentax let me attach my DA*16-50 F2.8 SDM to one of the K-5's and insert my own SD card. As a K20d user, I'm not familiar with the controls, so I set it to A mode, opened up to F3.2 and fired away.




IIRC, this was center focus point AF.C. JPG. Straight out of the camera. I wasn't really thinking about absolute IQ, so I let auto-ISO float up to 6400. All I was really concerned about was, "Can the K-5 lock focus and get the shot reliably?" In those short 5 minutes my initial response is, "Yes, much much better than my K20d. AF locks much faster - even with the unloved SDM. And the FPS is very nice to have too. This ain't bad - and I'd get better as I became more familiar with the camera. I can probably shoot motorcycles with this camera."

[dadipentak]

Hmmmm, I may have to get me one of those K-5s.

[dankoBanana]

Hmmmm, I may have to get me one of those K-5s.

I'm pretty sure I'll have to get one, but I've still not decided which bank to rob
thankfully, I probably wont got into the life of crime since I'll be getting my diploma soon and a job

[dadipentak]

I'll be getting my diploma soon and a job

Hey, congratulations! Seems to me the K-5 would be a perfect graduation present ;~)